Sparks
by Cereal-Killa
Summary: "And please, no more bra snapping." Running a hand through his Mohawk, Duncan snorted. "She's my girlfriend." "Well, then why did she scream at you to stop?" "Because it's Courtney! She sucks the fun out of everything!" /A collection of D/C short shots/
1. Taco

**Authors Note: **

This shall be uploaded daily! I finished them all last night and I'm ready to publish. :) I would like to thank you for reading and hope that enjoy my small collection of short shots.

**Title:** Sparks  
**Author:** Cereal-Killa  
**Rating:** K+  
**Pairing:** Duncan/Courtney  
**Summary of Chapter: **Duncan's never been that good with nationalities…

#1: TACO

Duncan had never really taken in Courtney's skin color. He had never been one for all of that, "Yeah, I'm dating a girl of color; you know what I'm saying?" That just wasn't his style. It was actually one thing many people enjoyed about Duncan- no matter what, race wasn't really an issue. Duncan was French Canadian. It was as simple as that, and it's not like it counted for anything special. He didn't judge people by the color of their skin, and he, in turn, expected that everyone around him would take a hint and do the same.

But it's not as though it's inevitable. Sometime in your life, you're going to have to tell it like it is. Duncan knew that he was going to be faced with racial issues here and there- it was a fact of life that one day, someone will point it out to you. He had just never seen Courtney as 'that caramel skinned girl I like'. He had just always thought, 'that girl who I like'.

He had surely never thought of her as 'that _Hispanic_ girl who I like'.

"You're Spanish?" Duncan tilted his head at her, his Mohawk swooping a bit to the side. He had been so surprised when Courtney had spoken of her grandmother, who was born in Mexico City. Could you truly blame him for being so confused? All this time, Duncan could have sworn that Courtney was just, well, mixed. Biracial. Nothing special. Just a mix of African-Canadian and French-Canadian, or something like that. He had never thought she could be from _Mexico_.

Don't get him wrong- he found this to be awesome, but Courtney wasn't taking it all that easy. "Duncan, the correct term is Hispanic. And you didn't know?"

He raised a hand in defense, looking at her oddly; trying to see maybe how she resembled the Hispanic people Duncan had met in his life. "How was I supposed to know?"

She sighed, exasperated. "Are you joking, Duncan? I speak Spanish in front of you all the time."

Duncan blushed brightly. "I thought that was just some special thing you did for taco night." Now, he began to feel a little embarrassed. How could he have been so dense? He ran a hand through his Mohawk as Courtney shot him a death glare.

Licking her lips, she shook her head at him, her frown prominent on her face. "That is so racist." She turned away from him, sticking her head in their fridge and pretending to look for something. The truth was that she was really just trying to help the red rush leave her cheeks. She was angry, but she still hated it when her face was as red as a tomato.

She squirmed but relaxed into the touch as arms wrapped around her waist from behind, his fingers fiddling with the small exposed area right underneath her belly button. He pressed his lips to the back of her neck, nibbling the skin there with a sudden gentleness. Courtney felt herself lean into him, the heat of his body contrasting drastically with the slight freeze from the refrigerator. "But I like you this way, anyway, any race, any color; I really don't give a damn, Princess." Lightly leaving small nips on her jaw as her body froze in his hands, Duncan smirked into her skin. "I love you, whatever the hell you are."

Even someone as ruthless as Courtney couldn't say no to that, so she decided on just staying quiet as the smile failed to drop from her face. She reached a hand into the refrigerator once again, grabbing something this time. Duncan had yet to drop his hold on her waist, still kissing her softly. "What are you making, babe?"

Laughing mockingly, it was her turn to smirk. "¿Te gusta comer tacos?"

Duncan smiled into her neck stupidly before letting out a chuckle. "Sure," he said, and they both couldn't help but smile. Yeah, they both knew that Duncan had no idea what she had just said, something about tacos, he guessed. But it didn't matter.

Because both of them wanted tacos anyway, and it didn't matter who they were, or where they were from. Duncan was pretty sure he'd like the _tacos_ either way.

**Notes:**

_¿Te gusta comer tacos? = Do you like to eat tacos?_

(Thank you Alex for helping with the Spanish… even if it's not right, I still love you. :3 I still can't believe I asked what the Spanish word for taco was. I knew it, I know I knew that in the back of my mind, but I… I'm just not the brightest highlighter in the sharpie box, okay?)

First Draft Finished: 12/26/2010  
Final Draft Finished: 12/26/2010  
Published: 1/20/11  
Fandom: Total Drama series  
Disclaimer: Total Drama Island and all its characters are property of their respective owners.  
©2011 _Cereal-Killa_


	2. Loudspeaker

**Title:** Sparks  
**Author:** Cereal-Killa  
**Rating:** K+  
**Pairing:** Duncan/Courtney  
**Summary of Chapter: **Duncan's in trouble, but it's about to get worse…

#2: LOUDSPEAKER

It had to be one of the worst things he'd ever do in this stage of their relationship. Though Courtney begged to differ- "We don't have a relationship, Duncan! We aren't together, Duncan! I don't like you, Duncan!"

Well, he had come-backs to all her accusations. They did have some sort of relationship, and maybe it wasn't exactly official, but who was she kidding? Everyone knew she liked Duncan, at least in the physical sense. But this was why Duncan had to perform this terrible act. If he ever wanted to be anything more than an ogre to her, yeah, he was going to have to resort to this.

Ninth grade was the year of the loudspeaker for Duncan. He had spotted it once when be confronted by the principle, and he had to say, it was one nice piece of work. He wondered why he had never recognized it earlier. You get ahold of that loudspeaker, and you get ahold of the entire student body.

The prankster in Duncan was nearly dying as he eyed it coyly, chewing his gum slowly in interest. He had stolen the gum from Harold earlier, which just made it taste all the more great. It was some type of strawberry kiwi fruit flavor. He chuckled inwardly- of course a nerd like Harold would have such _fruity _taste.

Oh, the mind of a juvenile fourteen year old. It was something the principle hated. "Mr. Montgomery." Duncan turned his head to the man behind the desk, stuffing a hand in his pocket. "Are you listening?"

"Yeah, yeah, sure." He slipped his eyes back to the loudspeaker. "I'll take two weeks detention, sure."

"I only said one week."

"Uh huh, got it boss."

"Mr. Montgomery!"

"Sounds good."

"_Duncan_." The student in question let out an irritated sigh, scratching the back of his neck and making eye contact, this time not breaking it. The office was silent for a moment, the only sound the ticking of the clock, which read 2:28. The middle aged man gave him a hard look, that stern one all adults gave Duncan. "Two weeks. Be here directly after school. And please, no more bra snapping."

Running a hand through his Mohawk, Duncan snorted. "She's my girlfriend."

"Well, then why did she scream at you to stop, Mr. Montgomery?"

"Because it's Courtney! She sucks the fun out of everything!"

Shaking his head, the principle sighed. "Two weeks detention, Duncan." Looking at the clock, he shrugged his shoulders back. "Actually, you know, there's only about ten minutes left of school. Just stay here for a while, and don't do anything crazy." The man got up from his chair, giving Duncan a glare before leaving the office.

But the deed was already done. Even with the locks on the file cabinets, the rest of the office being barren, even the computer being shut down and locked unless you knew the pass code, the principle had left one loose end.

That damn loudspeaker. Once the door to the office was locked, it was free game.

Duncan's eyes had a devilish gleam in them as he stepped up to the mike, getting comfortable in the principle's chair. He knew he only had a few minutes to achieve his goal- you could really call Duncan a planner. He had all of this thought through, and it was actually going to be pretty awesome.

He pressed the button on the loudspeaker, smirking slyly. Because this was Duncan's element. All hell was about to break loose. "Hello, students!" He peered at the clock again- Courtney would be in English 1 right about now, sitting at the desk in the very front of the class, listening and taking notes diligently. He tried to hold back his laughter.

Placing his feet on the desk, he took his gum from his mouth, squeezing it between his thumb and middle finger. "I, Duncan Montgomery, have detention for the next two weeks, and probably more after this little stunt." He started to hear noises coming from outside the office, so he knew he had to work fast. "So, Courtney, babe- just know that I forgive you Princess. And don't get mad at me for snapping your bra! If that is sexual harassment, then I have a lot of charges I can put on you."

He leaned up to the microphone, hearing bustling from outside as the door handle began shaking violently. "So, last thing- kiss my ass, Principle (?)!" He shoved the piece of gum on the loudspeaker, causing a wet, gross noise to blare from it.

It was obvious that Duncan wasn't going to escape all these staff members that bustled into the room, but that wasn't what he worried about right now. He could see, from the corner of his eye, Courtney, fuming, and he let out a weak smile. Maybe Duncan wasn't a planner. Because he was sure going to get harassed in a minute, although he highly doubted it would be sexual.

Courtney just shot a glare to the desk as Duncan was bombarded by teachers and office staff. That damn loudspeaker.

Authors Note:

Ha. Thanks so much, my dear boyfriend, for getting written up for bra snapping...

Thanks for reading!

First Draft Finished: 1/2/2011  
Final Draft Finished: 1/2/2011  
Published: 1/23/11  
Fandom: Total Drama series  
Disclaimer: Total Drama Island and all its characters are property of their respective owners.  
©2011 _Cereal-Killa_


	3. Nail Polish

**Title:** Sparks  
**Author:** Cereal-Killa  
**Rating:** K+  
**Pairing:** Duncan/Courtney  
**Summary of Chapter: **Courtney has never painted her nails before, and Duncan just can't help but be a softie…

#3: NAIL POLISH

Courtney was never one to wear much make up- she was unfamiliar with even the basics. Mascara was that stuff that you put on your cheeks, right? No, dammit… she never admitted that much to anybody, and basically was able to avoid the subject of make-up for a good part of her life. But if there was one thing that she really didn't understand, not even a little bit, it had to be-

"Nail-polish? You've really never used it before?" Duncan looked at her incredulously, a smirk growing over his face as he plopped on their bed beside her. "That's actually… really lame." She gave him a glare, but she didn't try to deny it.

Yeah, Courtney had never had her nails painted before. She had just never seen the point in it, though she did think some girls looked really pretty with their colorful nails accenting the ends of their thin fingers, and she often wondered how she might look with it on… but her mother had never been one to spoil her with girly things such as nail polish, so imagine Courtney's surprise when she had gotten a gift basket from her new co-worker, Bridgette, containing small candies, a mini desk calendar, and then, oddly enough, _nail polish._

It was quite a pretty color, really. Sparkle-icious by O.P.I. was actually a very feminine and very flattering color, with sparkles glittering in the clear polish to add extra shine. Courtney had felt so stupid coming to Duncan, asking him exactly how you were supposed to paint your nails. And then he had the nerve to laugh at her. "My parents never really let me, OK? I'm sorry I was so sheltered as child." It was obviously a touchy subject for Courtney, but Duncan really couldn't just let this one go. "Anyways, lots of girls don't paint their nails."

Duncan snorted. "Princess, you are twenty four years old, and you haven't ever painted your nails." He laid down on the bed, throwing his hands behind his head as he erupted in a fit of laughter. "Man, this is just too great."

But what he didn't see was that Courtney truly was starting to get really offended. An angry Courtney is a whole lot different than an offended Courtney, and they are both not even close to an upset Courtney, so maybe that was why Duncan knew he was in trouble when he heard her voice crack. "This isn't f-funny, you ass hole… I really don't get it…"

He looked to Courtney and was a bit surprised to see that she had a couple of tears in her eyes, and even though her face was scrunched up and angry, he could tell that she was more upset than she was even beginning to let on. He reached for the nail polish in her hand, looking at it oddly and turning it around in his hands. "This color would be really pretty on you." He gave her a small smile, but she just turned away from him and sniffed loudly.

She was quite surprised when she felt him take her hand in his as he sat down on the floor, his legs in a pretzel style as he shook the nail polish, making a small clicking sound. "What are you doing?" She mumbled, wiping her nose with her sleeve.

He sighed, not reaching her eyes as he uncapped the sparkly O.P.I. bottle. "Don't you dare tell anyone I did this, babe, or I'll have to kill you." Courtney was about to send him a rude retort back- well, she was, until she saw that he had taken the small brush in between his thumb and fore finger and began to lightly stroke her nail with it, creating a small glittery splash of paint on the end of her finger. He didn't look like her really knew what he was doing, but… "I used to have to paint my sister's right hand, since she hated painted with her left hand. I got used to doing it." And it actually looked half decent.

Courtney was quiet the whole time, simply biting back a smile and wishing that Duncan would stop focusing on her nails for a moment so that she could kiss him for being such a softie. Maybe she would have to experiment with nail polish again… as long as Duncan was the one painting it on for her.

Authors Note:

Sorry for not updating in a few days. Wi-fi connection has been horrible, we just switched to AT&T, so it should be better now… Anyways, I absolutely love this chapter, if only because I'm absolutely obsessed with nail polish. I just think it's the best thing since sliced bread… no, since fire. Like for real. :)

Thanks for reading!

First Draft Finished: 1/2/2011  
Final Draft Finished: 1/2/2011  
Published: 1/26/2011  
Fandom: Total Drama series  
Disclaimer: Total Drama Island and all its characters are property of their respective owners.  
©2011 _Cereal-Killa_


	4. Door

**Title:** Sparks  
**Author:** Cereal-Killa  
**Rating:** K+  
**Pairing:** Duncan/Courtney  
**Summary of Chapter: **The door had been slammed in his face many times, but Duncan has learned to deal by now…

#4: DOOR

It wouldn't be the first time she had slammed the door in his face.

He was used to Courtney getting pissed at him, telling him this was the last straw, that he was out for good. He would walk into their house after a really bad day, light alcohol on his breath and the regrets of another day at work. She would give him a hard glare, coming home from college classes and studying herself ragged, and then he would say some rude comment. They would both be in their respective places- him watching TV and carving something with his pocket knife, her on the computer typing something up for her classes while trying to balance her checkbook. And Duncan would break this perfect balance with a mean retort that he had woven out of thin air-

"How long we got until that pole gets shoved further up your ass?"

And Courtney would get pissed. They would push and pull, fight and slam each other, hurt each, mentally and physically scar them both- and then she would say that it was about time he left. He would shoot a big 'you're bluffing' smirk, but then she would run upstairs and grab a suitcase from the closet. He would chase her up the stairs because _oh hell no, she wasn't._

But, oh hell yes, she was. They would both run into their bedroom as Courtney began taking all of his clothes and belongings out of their drawers, off of their desks, and stuff it into the suitcase vigorously. Duncan would yell something like, "Are you bullshitting me?" and Courtney would respond with something such as, "Like hell I'm joking! Get the fuck out!" And would run downstairs with the suitcase.

Duncan would follow her, muttering at her the whole time, letting out an unbelievable gasp as she threw the suitcase outside, and he had to follow- all his shit was in there. And then, obviously, as soon as his butt was out the door, she would slam it in his face.

And he would feel that horrible feeling that this was the last time. He would get angry, then depressed, then in denial, and other mixed stages of grief in the next ten seconds. And then the door would open again.

She would run to him and he would wrap his arms tightly around her as their teeth clashed together in a violent kiss. She would wrap her legs around him and the suitcase would be forgotten as he dragged her back inside the house, somehow making their way upstairs amongst feverish kisses and muffled moans.

It wouldn't be the first time she had slammed the door in his face.

Of course, they both knew, in the back of their minds, it most definitely would never be the last.

Authors Note:

Dear god, f*cking wi-fi! What a bitch, am I right? Sneaking onto my brothers monitor, he'll never be the wiser… hell, this dude had FF on favorites. Never knew he had an account… heh, I've got a family full of people like me… That's a little sad to think about…

I personally love this chapter. Personally. :)

Thanks for reading!

First Draft Finished: 1/2/2011  
Final Draft Finished: 1/2/2011  
Published: 1/30/2011  
Fandom: Total Drama series  
Disclaimer: Total Drama Island and all its characters are property of their respective owners.  
©2011 _Cereal-Killa_


	5. Bottle

**Title:** Sparks  
**Author:** Cereal-Killa  
**Rating:** K+  
**Pairing:** Duncan/Courtney  
**Summary of Chapter: **Duncan isn't traditional, but then again, she likes it that way.

#5: BOTTLE

She had never taken him to be one for such a… cliché. Duncan had never been the best with showing any form of adoration, everyone knew that. It was just a simple fact that had a lot to do with his manly pride and his will to never be a 'softie'. Trust me, no one really looked at him that way, but because he was always on the defense about his emotions, he had no idea how to show them. Courtney had gotten used to it.

After all, you can only get mad so many times when he teases you before you have to figure out that it's the only way he knows to show some form of affection. It meant a lot to her, once she got to know him- it was obvious he didn't make much of an effort to communicate with people. So knowing that he had gone out of his way to make him notice her was a bit flattering (although rather annoying at times).

It was only natural that she would understand Duncan- she wasn't all that great with emotions as well. She had always been thinking about her pride, just as he did. She didn't expect him to just change into some soft mushy person just because of her.

Although it would be nice to get something like flowers or candy or a big stuffed bear that said 'I love you' when you pressed its stomach for Valentine's Day. Much nicer than a pocket knife, or her first pack of cigarettes… though the wooden skull was quite sentimental, it was as far as Duncan had ever gone in that department. Courtney didn't say much on the subject. Yeah, she was often hard to impress, but she really didn't want to see Duncan get upset because her present wasn't what she expected.

So she had a right to be surprised when she saw a bottle sitting on her porch that morning on February 14th.

It was odd. A piece of paper was wrapped around it, hiding the contents from view- 'For you, Princess'. Oh dear lord. This is what happens when she made Duncan watch romantic comedies with her- he was taking the whole 'put a message in a bottle and throw it across the sea' thing a little too literally.

She shrugged her shoulder in her short sleeve pajama shirt, grabbing the bottle and the newspaper for the day. Sitting the paper by her father, and saying 'good morning' to both of her parents, she hurried upstairs.

Now, the only question was how to open it. Courtney had never dealt with a cork before… and she most definitely didn't have a cork screw on hand… She wondered if maybe her parents keep one in the kitchen, though she would never know- they only drank wine on 'classy occasions', which meant every Sunday at brunch, but she had never gone to their brunches in fear of catching some old persons disease…

Maybe she could just pluck it off, or maybe she could bite it off with her teeth…? Nothing was making much sense. "Oh well," she said, before she slammed it into the wall.

Now that's one way to open it.

Tiny pieces of broken glass were scattered on the floor as Courtney reached for the small thing that had popped out of the bottle and fallen to the floor. She smiled.

It was a small teddy bear on a key chain, with a bright red bow tie on his neck. On the small of his belly, you could make out the small initials:

_D luvs C_

Wow. What a sap. Courtney really didn't know what to say as she turned it around in her hands. She then discovered that on the back of the bear, he had a small, tiny plastic knife stabbing him in the back, with fake small blood splatter on its back. Typical Duncan to go and ruin the moment even when he wasn't there. But that was pretty cliché with the bottle…

Not that she minded. Cliché messages in bottles topped a pack of cigarettes any day.

A/N- Gosh, stupid parents! Stupid school! Stupid bitch! Yeah, I got my laptop taken away because I got in a fight with some girl… Apparently now I'm like the new person to hit at school, it's just one of those months that wasn't good for me. :) I am pretty happy that I got a few licks in before they pulled me off, though… I want to write a Courtney fight scene now *smiles*

* * *

~Thanks for reading~

* * *

First Draft Finished: 2/3/2011  
Final Draft Finished: 2/3/2011  
Published: 2/20/11  
Fandom: Total Drama series  
Disclaimer: Total Drama Island and all its characters are property of their respective owners.  
©2011 _Cereal-Killa_


	6. Lotion

**Title:** Sparks  
**Author:** Cereal-Killa  
**Rating:** K+  
**Pairing:** Duncan/Courtney  
**Summary of Chapter: **Courtney is sometimes more worried about her looks than she needs to be- at least in Duncan's book.

#6: LOTION

Duncan was quite confused when he had first heard Courtney use the term 'ashy'. She had been stripping herself of her pants for bed, and when Duncan asked if she was feeling 'fun' tonight, she had sighed. "But I'm all _ashy_, Duncan."

He truly had no way of responding to that. He looked her in the eye; sure she had pronounced something wrong. "Ashy?" He repeated.

Courtney massaged her shoulders lightly, yawning and nodding at him. "You know, like when you don't put any lotion on for a long time and you end up looking all ashy." He still looked at her, dumbfounded, and she just sighed. "Look." She propped her leg up on the edge of the bed, pointing to her lower legs.

Duncan noticed the way that Courtney's usual caramel smooth legs were cracked and caked with a thick layer of… well, what can only be described as white ash. He understood. "Oh," he spoke quietly, looking up to meet her eyes. "So why don't you put on some lotion?"

She bit her lip, her cheeks heating up. "Because I forgot to this morning, you asshole! Maybe I was going to!" She ran into the bathroom, embarrassed, looking at herself in the mirror. She only had on a shirt a some panties, so her '_ash'_ was utterly ridiculous. She shouldn't have explained anything to Duncan anyway- he would only make fun of her for it.

She gasped as she felt him put his hands around hers, snatching the lotion from her. "How about I put this on?" He smirked at her, his eyes gleaming at her with a certain lust.

Even though she should have been a bit weirded out by his behavior, she was actually very flattered. "Even though I'm ashy, you still want to… fool around?" She bit her lip.

He raised a brow. "Princess, when do I not want to fool around with you? You're too fucking hot for that." Yeah, some people may have taken that on the offensive, but Courtney was kind of bored of being mad (or just really, really horny), so all was forgiven.

As Duncan smeared the lotion on his hands, she leaned down on the bed, giggling at him. He smirked, drawing a lotion covered hand on her thigh. He pressed into her skin, trailing down her leg with the lotion, massaging it in and growing serious. Every time he touched Courtney like this, he didn't smirk, or smile. He was always acting as though it was precious time that was best spent being sweet rather than teasing.

After about ten minutes, he started peeling off her clothes. He was pretty sure he would love Courtney either way- 'ashy' or not.

A/N: Thanks for reading!

First Draft Finished: 2/3/2011  
Final Draft Finished: 2/3/2011  
Published: 3/5/11


	7. Pinata

**Title:** Sparks  
**Author:** Cereal-Killa  
**Rating:** K+  
**Pairing:** Duncan/Courtney  
**Summary of Chapter: **Their first fight happens to be pretty damn sweet.

#7: Piñata

It was their first fight ever. And they had just met six minutes and twenty-seven seconds before it happened.

Courtney had been quiet for most of her older brother's birthday party- he was nine, she was seven, and seven year olds like her didn't tend to talk to many other nine year olds. Yeah, it seemed like fun out there, but really? Courtney was sure she wouldn't want her brother interrupting her birthday party, so what gave her the right to ruin his by being all young and stuff? She slumped in her seat at the dining room table, sighing.

A little boy with dark black hair ran inside the house then, opening the screen door from the back porch and running straight at Courtney. He stopped a few feet beside her, panting heavily. "Do you know any good hiding spots around her?" His voice cracked and he blushed. Duncan wasn't used to being around girls quite yet.

She shrugged. "Outside, maybe?" She all words that had a 'c' in them, considering the fact that she had to start going to speech class from saying it like it was a 'q'. She hated it when people teased her about it, and this kid seemed like one of the types who would do just that.

Duncan puffed out his chest, smoothing back his hair with a hand. "Listen babe-" He tried to remember how his older brother always talked to girls, how he called them things like 'babe' and 'gorgeous', "I really need to win this game of hide-and-go seek, or I'll have to be it **again.**" He obviously wasn't looking forward to being it, but Courtney just stuck her tongue out at him as another kid ran in the house and tapped Duncan on the shoulder.

"YOU'RE IT!" They yelled, leaving out the screen door.

Duncan's face went red, this time not from embarrassment. "Why didn't you give me a hiding spot?" He mumbled.

She smiled. "I don't know, _babe_." Duncan scowled at her laughter as he slid out of the door once again to go tag some of the other kids.

About five minutes later, Duncan found himself standing in a large crowd around a big piñata. He saw Courtney standing off to the side and he immediately grew angry. As he heard the sounds of other kids cheering and the piñata being hit, he ran over to Courtney, taking a hold of her shirt. "You suck! I had to be it five times because I didn't win!"

Courtney just scoffed. "Like it's my fault that you suck at hiding! Why couldn't you just find a place outside like everyone else?"

"Because they were all already taken!"

"Well then, I guess you're slow!"

"Am not!"

"Are too!"

"AM NOT!"

"ARE TOO!"

"I hate you!" Duncan yelled.

"Same here, idiot!" Courtney launched herself at him, tackling him to the ground. They continued wrestling like that, punching and kicking, until they were up on their feet again, Duncan chasing Courtney, and then vice versa. Before they could finish their fight though, a loud bash was heard.

Duncan had just run right into Courtney's brother, causing him to fall with the baseball bat, bursting the piñata open. As Duncan, Courtney, and her surprised looking older brother sat in a clump on the ground, limbs tangled and all, the others kids just stared.

And then ran straight for the candy that littered the ground, cheers and yells from all around. "Thanks for helping me smash the piñata, you guys!" Courtney's brother smiled, rushing for the candy, while everyone smiled at Duncan and Courtney.

They had just met six minutes and twenty seven seconds ago. "I still hate you." Courtney mumbled as she popped a piece of bubble gum in her mouth. She blushed deeply as Duncan winked at her (he had gotten that from his brother as well.

"I don't think I hate you as much as I should." He peeled the wrapper off of a sucker, smirking at her tortured expression as he took a long lick. Piñata's weren't that bad, after all.

A/N: Fuckin' shit pickles! I'm sorry for updating so damn slowly! Especially since these chapters are easy as hell to write… *sighs* Well, ya know, I'm really sorry for being such a slacker, but school work has been threatening me, and basically I'm just really not in the mood for romance. Like at all. So a lot of my stories that are coming out, I just can't let them on this site, because they are that bad. THAT BAD. They freaking suck! So, until I'm out of this little mood, my stories aren't going to be as up to par as normal… *sighs* *again*

Well, whatever! Thanks for reading and please, if you can, review!


	8. Tan

**Title:** Sparks  
**Author:** Cereal-Killa  
**Rating:** K+  
**Pairing:** Duncan/Courtney  
**Summary of Chapter: **Courtney gets tan, while Duncan gets a little… more than tan.

#8: TAN

Duncan had never questioned it- Courtney was darker than him. Therefore, she was able to get a tan easier than him. Not to say that Duncan couldn't get a little sun every once and a while. The fact was just that, if he stayed out in the sun for too long, it would start to affect him. His skin would start to tingle, the water would feel odd against his skin, and then, finally, Courtney would make a grab for him, and he would howl in pain.

"Dammit, Duncan!" Courtney yelled, placing her hands on her bikini bottom clad waist. "You forgot to put on sunscreen _again_?"

Yes. Sunburn was quite a bitch, really.

He didn't know why he had a problem with remembering sunscreen- he just did. He had never really been a swimmer, and most of the pool parties he had gone to as a teen were always at night. He never played out in the sun for too long, and when he did, he was wearing a shirt and such, so he never had to worry about it on his chest, at least. Not until now.

See, they had both thought it was a cool idea to buy the house with the huge in-ground pool in the backyard. They were spontaneous like that. Or at least Duncan was. Courtney just agreed that it would look very nice and presentable to have such beautiful scenery in the backyard for neighbors and friends to see. "Yeah, sure," Duncan had muttered, "Because it's not like it'd be nice to maybe _swim_ in it, or something."

Overall, they had both agreed that the idea of a pool was a positive, which was great for them, because it's not like they agreed on much. The pool was a great idea and a good addition to the house.

The only downside was that Duncan found it was impossible to get used to the summer conditions. "Oh, well, I'm so sorry! Now stop grabbing me! It hurts!" Courtney had never had sunburn not once in her life. She had always been one of those girls who loved the sun, who often fell asleep in the hot heat and woke up feeling a hundred times better. She loved summer for the fact that when she got a tan, she got a tan. Her skin wasn't it's usually caramel color, but a dark auburn instead, and she knew that Duncan really enjoyed that look on her.

She had always been one of those girls who hit the pool each and every summer. Courtney couldn't remember a week in the heat of July when she hadn't dipped herself into a large body of water. It was just refreshing.

So why Duncan kept forgetting sunscreen made absolutely no sense to her. He was too old to need someone to remind him about his own hygiene, but, oh well, that's Duncan for you. She had learned that he had many qualities and annoying quirks she had yet to discover. "You are an idiot! Come over here… you don't have sunburn that bad…" He looked at her tensely, his red body shuffling slowly toward her own from the edge of the pool.

Sometimes, Duncan looked exactly like a puppy. Those were the times, like now, that Courtney would simply sigh and give him a weak grin, because those eyes basically broke her. He sat down next to her on a towel while she grabbed something out of her bag (because Courtney was one of those people who brought out a bag to their own pool). "Turn around and face the pool." He turned so he was facing away from Courtney, and then heard her open a cap. He then felt her smoothing some type of lotion on back. Thank god for sunscreen.

"You aren't that cooked, so as long as you don't get any more direct exposure to the sun, this should fix you up…" Courtney's voice was soft, like velvet, and her hands were ticklish on his lower back. "Just… put on sunscreen next time okay? Even I have to put some on sometimes…"

He sighed in contentment, leaning into her pleasuring hands. "This is just the way I tan, babe."

A/N: Dear freaking me. I am so bored. SO BORED… it's the start of Spring Break and my weekend is already blown to hell. And I have so much on this site to update… gosh… but I really don't wanna do it…

One-shot suggestions?

Thanks for reading!

First Draft Finished: 2/3/2011  
Final Draft Finished: 2/3/2011  
Published: 4/1/11  
Fandom: Total Drama series  
Disclaimer: Total Drama Island and all its characters are property of their respective owners.  
©2011 _Cereal-Killa_


	9. Hydrate

**Title:** Sparks  
**Author:** Cereal-Killa  
**Rating:** K+  
**Pairing:** Duncan/Courtney  
**Summary of Chapter: **Staying hydrated is important. Courtney knows this… and Duncan might use it as a way to turn the conversation around.

#9: HYDRATE

When Courtney was young, her parents had never let her drink sodas or anything with caffeine in it- who could blame them? Courtney was a bit hyperactive and easy-tempered as it was, and they hadn't ever wanted her to spazz out more than usually did. They had always convinced her that water and juice was the best thing for someone such as herself, a growing girl who would need strength and therefore would need to eat and drink things that were healthy, no matter how tempting a coke or a cup of coffee may seem at times.

Therefore, with her parents being huge health mentors, Courtney had grown to be a sporty girl. She loved playing anything- basketball, swimming, soccer- you name it, and she was on the team. She was the co-captain of the cheerleading squad, the best person at acing and spiking on the volleyball team, and no one could handle a tennis racket quite like she could. Courtney believed that with great athletic ability came the responsibility which was taking the best care of your body that you possibly could.

And that included staying hydrated. Courtney couldn't tell you how much water she drank in a day. She stopped at the school water fountain countless times throughout her day, and the water bottle in her purse stayed full incase she felt her throat go dry anytime. That was the reason why she blushed such a bright red when she realized Duncan staring at her as she took a huge gulp of water after school, his back against the locker beside her open one, his eyes filled with a smile. "You're really _thirsty, _aren't you, babe? I can get you something to swallow…"

She shut her locker door abruptly, shooting him a death glare as she scoffed in disgust. "You are vile." She shrugged her backpack on, walking away as he trailed her side, snickering lightly. There was something about him that never failed to put Courtney on edge, something about the way his smirk never really reached his eyes, how his smile always softened around her, the way he always brought out a hand to brush against hers as tingles ran up her spine and rattled her brain from the small contact… "I just like water, okay?"

Duncan brought up a hand in defense as he smiled widely at her, placing an arm around her shoulder. "I get it, I get it… so don't you have some big soccer game next week?" Duncan's voice lowered considerably, and if she hadn't been paying attention, she surely wouldn't have caught what he said.

It was a bit odd that Duncan would ask that- he rarely paid any attention to upcoming school events, much less a school soccer game. Well, it wasn't just a game, it was more like tournament, but Courtney wasn't really as excited as she was dejected. She wasn't as good at soccer as she was with other things and that truly bothered her. Not mastering something would eat away at her until she got it right, and with soccer, well, it seemed impossible. "Yeah, I do." She didn't push him to say anything, which was odd for her. Maybe it was because she wanted him to keep his arm around her, and keep drumming his fingers on her shoulder…

Rubbing the back of his neck, Duncan shrugged gingerly. "Well, you want to practice, maybe, with me, or something? I… I'm not the best at soccer but I used to play a little, and…" He trailed off, his face flushing red, and Courtney couldn't help but let out a small giggle. Duncan immediately turned away from her, biting his lip.

"Sure," she spoke, and he tried to hide the surprised look which graced over his features. Courtney felt herself soften as his lips split into a huge grin, a grin made just for her. She wasn't really into soccer, but, for Duncan, maybe she could be. And hell, it wasn't like she couldn't play at all- as long as she stayed hydrated…

©2011 _Cereal-Killa _


	10. Earthquake

**Title:** Sparks  
**Author:** Cereal-Killa  
**Rating:** K+  
**Pairing:** Duncan/Courtney  
**Summary of Chapter: **Duncan hates drills, but maybe not drills with Courtney.

#10: EARTHQUAKE

Duncan hated school drills.

Weren't they just the dumbest thing in history, though? I mean really. Fire drills were pointless. All you needed was common sense and the will to live. Just run! He thought that everyone would know that if there was going to be a fucking fire they would have the damn smarts to run away as fast as possible. There really wasn't that much to it. And was it really necessary to get that far away from the school? It was a drill- you could trust that if it was a real fire, no one would be anywhere near the school.

Another one was the stupid tornado drill. Duncan highly doubted that they were ever going to experience a tornado while in school, but he surely hoped it wouldn't be as stupid as the drills were. They would all hike downstairs to the bottom of the school, underneath everything, to the stupid basement. The school basement was too small for a bunch of horny, dumbass, idiot teens who Duncan couldn't stand to be in a ten feet radius of normally, much less pressed up against them all. Yes, tornado drills sucked ass.

But Duncan had always been absent from school during the Earthquake drill apparently, or he must not have remembered exactly what you were supposed to do, because he was completely stumped as he felt the earth begin to tremble below the school floor.

It was a weird feeling- his first thought was that maybe he was falling or having some type of eye spasm, maybe. But it became very clear to him when a loud kid shouted from across the classroom, "Earthquake!"

Oh. That made so much more sense than an eye spasm.

A few school supplies fell off the shelves as everyone crowded underneath their desks. Duncan tried to get under his, but not before he noticed that a certain C.I.T. was missing from her seat.

God dammit!

He had seen Courtney exit earlier to go to the bathroom, but he hadn't really thought much of it, thinking that she would be back soon enough. Duncan growled as he ignored the shouts from his teacher, stumbling out of the room as quick as he could.

Courtney had to be out here somewhere. He could see the ceiling above starting to tremble more and more with each crooked step he took, but he couldn't stop. What if she was still in the bathroom?

He found her down the hall, her eyes wide as she was sprawled out on the floor. Courtney had been really surprised when the Earthquake hit. Too surprised- she had gone into shock. She looked to Duncan, his shaking form reaching out for her. He fell on the floor beside her and grabbed her shoulders, pulling her close to him. She let out a strangled gasp as he tucked her underneath him, and she could feel his arms wrapping around her head, pushing her into his firm chest, his heartbeat erratic.

But what amazed her the most, was that even as both of them were going into shock, as the ceiling threatened to rain down on them, and as everything shook and the whole world felt like it was falling-

Duncan was still running a hand through her hair, whispering gentle words to her that she couldn't make out over the roar of the earthquake, and she realized she was crying. And Duncan was asking her to please, please stop crying. "Just don't cry, okay? Just don't… don't cry…"

Even though the earthquake wasn't as bad as everyone thought, even though no one was hurt and there were only a few minor injuries, Courtney couldn't forget Duncan's one request and his rough hands caressing her as he tucked himself around her just to make sure she would be safe. What if the ceiling had crumbled, and it had fell on him and he had… what if something had happened to him?

The next day, she walked straight up to him and kissed him roughly, shoving him against the lockers and telling him to never try and be a hero again and then maybe she wouldn't cry all the time. Duncan just sighed in contentment.

School drills were dumb, but if he got a kiss like this after every earthquake… well come on, mother nature.

A/N: Ok, so yeah… I'm going to say this story is complete… for now. If I ever get the urge to start up random drabblish things again, expect them here. :)

So thanks for reading, I'm really happy that I've received so many kind reviews for this little thing. It was just something I whipped up in my boredom, nothing special. I'm trying to get back into the hang of working on my more plot-filled projects, but, these things always make me feel good…

:D Okay well… bye then! Love, Cereal


	11. Interruption

Announcement! I am continuing this! I have made ten more chapters and I've decided to categorize them! "Sparks" was the first collection, containing chapters 1-10. "Heat" is this second collection! More are to come.

This chapter is not part of the Heat collection, instead it's just a separation between each collection. I will being doing more chapters like these every ten chapters!

One sentence per idea!

* * *

**.:interruption:.**

* * *

**.:lemon:.**

Duncan knew Courtney was mad; she was always mad, and he could always tell the intensity of the anger by what her face looked like, and right now, she was at her worst, looking like she had just took a swig of lemon juice.

* * *

**.:dark:.**

Courtney thinks it's too dark in the fish cabin, but maybe that's making everything better- this way, she has no idea where Duncan lips are going next.

* * *

**.:light:.**

Something is definitely wrong with her; to Duncan it's obvious, since her eyes aren't holding that same light as they always seem to do.

* * *

**.:black:.**

Courtney wasn't going to dress in all black just to please Duncan, and unbeknownst to her, he wouldn't have it any other way.

* * *

**.:high:. **

"Duncan, I can understand being tired at a challenge, or being sick at a challenge, but really, the fact that you and Geoff smoked a whole fucking pound of hash last night is not a decent excuse in the least."

* * *

.:**low:.**

Courtney tried not to blush at how ridiculous the notion was of being flattered by the fact that Duncan refused to meet her eyes at times (he was always glancing a bit lower than what was considered appropriate).

* * *

.:**cellphone:.**

Courtney might say that she didn't care or that she would never speak to him again, but Duncan knew she didn't mean it when he would call, because no matter what, Courtney always answers- whether with a scream or a soft hello was what varied.

* * *

**.:cat:.**

When Duncan heard Courtney shout, 'here kitty, kitty' he knew he wasn't going to like this, but he realized he was screwed when he saw the damn thing- "That's a raccoon, not a cat, and who had the oh-so smart idea to name the damn thing Brittany?"

* * *

**.:dog:.**

Courtney had to wonder why Duncan needed a nasty spider- didn't most boys just get dogs?

* * *

**.:penguin:.**

It was obvious who wore the pants in the relationship, considering the fact that Courtney had been allowed to keep a penguin plushy on their bed.

* * *

**.:japan:.**

When Courtney found out Duncan liked anime, she actually found it very interesting that he did, at least until he told her he watched it for the oversized tits.

* * *

**.:color:.**

It's odd; he never knew Courtney liked to draw, but what's not surprising is that she handles a box of crayons so perfectly, much like everything else she does.

* * *

**.:white:.**

Duncan had never considered race as a border, but the fact that Courtney's brother referred to him as 'whitey' was not exactly helping that matter.

* * *

**.:one:.**

One time he messes up, and Courtney holds it against him until the end of time, so he doesn't at all like to admit defeat around her.

* * *

**.:brain:.**

"Is there anything in there?" Courtney mutters, tapping a finger to Duncan's skull.

* * *

**.:pills:.**

Duncan always smirks when Courtney takes nearly the whole bottle of Advil the morning after; confirming that, yup, he's still got it.

* * *

**.:pencil:.**

To think that someone actually sits down with a pencil and pen and writes stories about them… yeah right, like they would ever get _that_ famous.

* * *

**.:dragon:.**

Duncan says his Mohawk makes him look powerful, like a monster or dragon; Courtney says it makes him look like a booger, so it's obvious they have very different opinions.

* * *

**.:mint:.**

It's kind of funny, that she's kissing him with intensity and morning breath now, and the way that the first time they spoke she was asking for a breath mint with anger and frustration.

* * *

**.:chocolate:.**

Duncan has a huge chocolate funk, and Courtney is really starting to regret putting a Hershey Kiss in her breast pocket.

* * *

**.:pink:.**

There was one thing Duncan and Courtney could both agree on- "I hate pink."

* * *

**.:green:.**

It was weird, but after meeting Duncan, Courtney went on a kick of buying and eating anything green.

* * *

**.:brush:.**

Duncan loves it when Courtney runs her fingers through his hair, and Courtney secretly loves it too, the way he turns to complete lovable putty in her hands.

* * *

**.:handle:.**

Courtney always thinks she can handle it, but sometimes, Duncan has to come in to help- what she loves about him is that he pretends like he's not.

* * *

**.:door:.**

Courtney slammed the door all the time, it wasn't anything new to Duncan, but who wouldn't predicted that she would break the damn thing off its hinges this time?

* * *

**.:knob:.**

Duncan liked Courtney because when he met her, she didn't blush or get knobby, weak knees like most girls- she just pulled the cigarette out of his mouth and told him he was a disgrace, and at that moment he knew she was perfect.

* * *

**.:mask:.**

He likes her because when he's with her, she takes off the mask that protects her from the rest of the world.

* * *

**.:knife:.**

Courtney told Duncan that having a knife was immature, but she'd be lying if she said it didn't turn her on just the least little bit.

* * *

**.:wood:.**

Duncan had to hold in his blush when he heard Courtney mentioning how he always poke her with his elbow in bed (yeah, because that was definitely his elbow.)

* * *

**.:love:.**

They never said it often, but maybe that's what made the rare times so special when they did.

* * *

**.:end:.**


	12. Juice

**Title:** Heat (Collection 2)  
**Author:** Cereal-Killa  
**Rating:** K+  
**Pairing:** Duncan/Courtney  
**Summary of Chapter: **Sometimes, meaningless things can bring out something more.

* * *

#1: JUICE

* * *

Duncan and Courtney actually weren't that good at getting along.

I know, shocker, right?

Of course, this was obvious to everyone at school, outside of school, at home, within a 500 mile radius, etc., etc. They had just never heard of the two ever agreeing on… well anything.

If there was something to argue about, Duncan and Courtney would find it. Once, while on the fourth grade science trip, one of their fights led to the entire class being banned from the museum and never allowed on the grounds again.

In sixth grade, they had both had a competition to see who could make Harold cry first, ending with a mentally distraught Harold and both Duncan and Courtney being chased up the monkey bars by a furious LaShawnna.

And now, after only two hours of being on the freshman class camping trip, Courtney had literally threatened to throw Duncan off a cliff and Duncan had taken a piss on Courtney's campfire so she wouldn't get the satisfaction of eating any marshmallows.

It was well known that no one was a winner when it came between the two. Nothing was ever agreed upon, a common ground had never once been reached. Having them both on a camping trip was just bad news.

The mess hall was quiet as both of them walked in at the same time. Duncan slammed the door open, making Courtney mutter about how obnoxious he was, making him call her a prude-like bitch, resulting in more muttering as they both sat by their friends at a table. It was only ten in the morning and the two were already in a foul mood.

Bridgette grabbed for two cups at the end of the table, yawning before looking to the both of them. "You guys want any juice?"

Duncan and Courtney both nodded. "Orange." They both said in unison, causing everyone at the table to stop eating and stare. The pair stiffened, looking to each other with a glare.

They had never wanted the same thing before. If Courtney wanted salad, Duncan wanted a cheese burger. If Courtney liked dogs, Duncan liked cats.

Geoff looked to them both warily. "No pulp?"

"Doesn't matter."

"Whichever."

At this point, people around the table were gasping in surprise. This was absolutely unheard of; nothing like this had ever occurred before.

Bridgette shakily poured orange juice, both with pulp, into the glasses, as Trent took a shaky breath. "One block of ice?"

"Two." Both said in harmony.

Okay, now that was just plain _freaky._

Duncan smirked. "Good taste, Princess."

She shrugged, hiding a blush. "I like my juice sweet, thick, and really cold."

"Odd," Duncan started, pressing the glass of juice to his lips. "That's the same way I like my women."

One slap across his face later, everyone let out a relieved sigh. Duncan and Courtney were fighting again, the universe was in balance, the world wasn't going to end.

Thankfully, no one else heard Duncan whisper, "I meant it."

Not even Duncan noticed the twitch of a smile that appeared on Courtney's lips.

* * *

**Notes:**

I'M BAAAACCKKK! ~

©2011 _Cereal-Killa_


	13. Feather

**Title:** Heat (Collection 2)  
**Author:** Cereal-Killa  
**Rating:** K+  
**Pairing:** Duncan/Courtney  
**Summary of Chapter: **Being manly isn't always what is most important to Duncan.

* * *

#2: FEATHER

* * *

There were many things that Duncan found unmanly.

Some examples happened to be ponies, nail polish, or _anything _Harold related. Also anything without a sword, knife, gun, or some type of weapon wasn't as manly as it could be. So Duncan didn't go near ponies, would never put on nail polish, beat the shit out of Harold on a daily basis, and, in fact, carried two weapons of his own (pocket knife and lighter) at all times.

Because, if there was one thing Duncan did fear, it was looking like a pussy ass.

So he got a Mohawk, pierced his face, worked out, and had never gotten a manicure. His image screamed sex and violence. He had been involved in many crimes, minor as well as going as far as being kept in a holding cell for possessing heavy drugs. He was anything but unmanly.

Then he met Courtney.

And for some reason, these things changed.

Duncan actually learned that Courtney adored horses, so one day, they drove out to the country. There was now a picture of Duncan- you guessed it- on a pony, tagged on Facebook and everything.

He had still never painted his nails, but had picked out so many colors with Courtney that he found he now had a strong desire to try on O.P.I.'s 'Tickle Me Pinky'.

And he had stopped beating on Harold simply because _Courtney asked him not to._

Once Duncan got out of prison after two years for being part of a meth lab, he ran into Courtney. Courtney, his salvation. Courtney, his best friend. Courtney, his lover. His Princess.

His everything.

He was met with a small sneeze. He shuffled a bit in the bed, but made no other acknowledgement than such. Another loud sneeze, and then a coughing fit. Now he was concerned.

Sitting up in the bed, he turned on the light, letting the blanket slide off his bare chest so he could reach over and cup Courtney's small face in between both his hands. Her eyes were red rimmed, nose a bit runny. He frowned softly. "Something's wrong."

Courtney had helped him with everything. She had saved him, cured him, kept up with him even when he was hooked on drugs. She had cried for him, begged for him, pleaded and prayed that he would be okay. She had been there for his breakdowns and his fallouts, for his best and his worst.

And she still said, "I love you."

And she still smiled and told him that they completed each other. No matter how much of a little shit he was, no matter how worthless he felt, Courtney still made him feel like something.

Like someone.

If he had to be a bit unmanly to keep her, to keep the light of his life within close range, then screw the manly code of honor.

"No more soft down feather pillows, huh?" A common allergy, but that meant she couldn't fall asleep until they bought more the next day. "I might be able to get some from the couch… they won't be as comfortable, but-"

She shook her head, rolling her eyes as she tossed the pillows off the bed and laid her head on his chest. "That's alright." She yawned. "I'm perfectly fine right here."

He smiled and breathed deeply, taking in the scent of his everything. "So am I, Princess." She nodded lazily before snuggling closer to him, drifting to a dreamless sleep. "So am I."

* * *

**A/N: **This is probably the last thing that will get published before 2012 –sighs-. Too bad! Haha, but it's been a great year, and although I have been a major suck-a-teer at updating, I'm glad that you guys have stuck through and continued to read and enjoy my stories.

So, next year is the end of the world! See ya then! lol

-Cereal

* * *

©2011 _Cereal-Killa_


	14. Spaceship

**Title:** Heat (Collection 2)  
**Author:** Cereal-Killa  
**Rating:**K+  
**Pairing:** Duncan/Courtney  
**Summary of chapter:** Courtney shouldn't just assume things...

* * *

**Beta: **ChloeRhiannonX

* * *

13. SPACESHIP

* * *

It probably all started when she stole his toy spaceship.

They were only four. Who knew why both sets of parents had believed it would be good for them to have a play date; they came from different worlds. Even a set of toddlers could see that.

All they did was fight. While both sets of parents enjoyed each other's company, it was obvious to all of them by the fifth play date that the two would never get along.

"You stoled my Barbie!" Courtney yelled, kicking the ABC blocks over in anger. "Give 'er back!" She was wearing her pink sun dress with the white ballet shoes, and had a small butterfly clip in her short brown hair. No, she didn't approve of her mother's choice in child's clothing, but it had only been more embarrassing when Duncan had told her she looked like a girl.

Well, maybe she was a girl, but he had said it all mean-like! So she didn't take it as a compliment.

"Did not!" Duncan said. His short black hair was a mess, his blue shorts and baby blue t-shirt matching his eyes. "Why's would I wanna play with a stupid Barbie anyways?" He was making perfect sense, really. Duncan only played with Transformers and Hot Wheels; things of that nature. What would he want with a summertime beach babe Barbie doll?"

Courtney's mother came over. "You two, quit fighting! That's all you ever seem to do..." She picked up her daughter, who was still scrambling and yelling about her Barbie doll. She turned to Duncan's mother with a small smile. "Sorry about her, Lillian... Maybe next time will go better?"

Duncan's mom walked over, giving the other woman a smirk which had obviously been passed down to her son. "Oh, its fine, Stephanie! Duncan is just a little trouble maker here." She shot Duncan a look and he pouted at her. "Definitely. Next Saturday sound good?"

Courtney's mother smiled. "Of course."

So Courtney and her mother left, Courtney with her revenge hidden underneath her car seat.

She had stolen Duncan's prized possession-His spaceship. He played with that thing night and day. His dad, an astronaut, had given it to him and he looked up to the older man the way only a son could.

It was her greatest idea yet. An eye for an eye! He stole her Barbie; therefore, she stole his spaceship. All is fair.

But then, Saturday came, and Courtney's father came home with a large smile on his face as he came into Courtney's room. "Hey, darling, guess what I found?" Courtney turned and smiled widely when she saw what her dad had in his hands-Her beloved Barbie! She ran up to him, grasping the same doll in her hands and pushing it up against her cheek.

"You found her!" She said, eyes aglow with happiness. "Where did you found her, daddy?"

He ruffled her hair. "At my office, sweetie. You must have left her there the other day."

Courtney smiled, but then it hit her.

Oh no! She had left the doll at her daddy's office. Meaning Duncan hadn't stolen her Barbie. Meaning she had... she had stolen his spaceship. For no reason, either!

"Daddy! We gots ta go see Duncan!" She yelled. He looked to her in surprise.

"Lillian and Alex's son?"

"Yeah, Li-li-ban n' Alexis son! We hafta see him now!" He looked to his watch and sighed. It was almost time for her play date with the kid anyway. He nodded and she squealed. "Thanks, daddy. We gots ta take mommy's car, though..."

As they rode toward the house, Courtney reached under her car seat, pulling out the rocket. She felt her stomach churn. Would Duncan hate her? She had taken away his most prized toy and accused him of stealing her own. She had wronged him twice.

When they got there, she ran up to the door, ringing to door bell with eagerness. Duncan's father answered the door, his usual scowl turning into a small smile. "Ay, little pumpkin, what are you doing here so early?"

She looked at him with desperation. "Plea' open up da door, Duncan's daddy, I gots ta see Duncan, thank you!" She ran past the older man, into the house and into the living room where she found Duncan.

"Duncan, I'm sorry!" She said, breaking down into tears. She wiped them onto her pink dress, holding out the spaceship to him. "I stoled your spaceship 'cause I thought you stoled my Barbie, but ya didn't... I'm sorry!"

Duncan blinked, picking up his spaceship from her hands. "Oh, thanks! I thought I losted it!"

She wiped her eyes and looked at him. "You aren't-" hiccup "-mad at me…?"

"No way!" He said, smiling even though he was missing one of his front teeth. "Yer my play date! I love you!"

Courtney felt her lower lip tremble. "I love you too, Duncan!" She threw herself into a hug with him, sobbing into his shoulder.

Both fathers looked at each other in shock. This had better just be a phase... "I'm starting to think I liked it better when they hated each other..."

But Duncan and Courtney weren't listening. They were too busy laughing and smiling, just like play dates should.

And to think such a beautiful relationship was born from a spaceship.

* * *

A/N: Definitely my cutest one yet. :3 By the way, everyone please throw love muffins to my lovely beta, ChloeRhiannonX! Thank you gurl~


	15. Clover

**Title**: Heat (Collection 2)

**Author**: Cereal-Killa

**Rating**: K+

**Pairing**: Duncan/Courtney

**Summary of chapter**: There are two types of people...

* * *

#15: CLOVER

* * *

Courtney was a pretty factual person. She made sure to keep up with the times and always read the newspaper, always refreshed her basic school skills by taking the practice ACT every now and then, and she always carried a calculator in her purse- you know, just in case the cashier at Walmart was actually an invalid who couldn't perform basic addition without the help of a TI-84 Silver Edition.

Yes, Courtney was very factual. She didn't bother herself with such inane things like horoscopes or the weather man. Some things you just couldn't know for sure. She'd come to accept this as a normal part of life.

Of course, Duncan was the exception to the rule, but wasn't he always?

Duncan liked to read horoscopes. "You're an Aquarius, I'm a Gemini- meant to be, babe, we're meant to be." He was often watching the History channel, shouting something or other about aliens and crop circles. He liked to watch Supernatural, even though Courtney often asked if the characters were gay or not. "They just have a profound bond!" He said quietly. He liked weird Sci-fi stuff, was sickly engrossed into shows like Doctor Who and Merlin, and he believed in ghosts, too.

Duncan was very big on the spiritual side of things, oddly enough. He claimed that he couldn't "beat the living shit out of a ghost" and because of that, he was not going to fuck with them. He was a prominent believer in bad omens, throwing the salt over his shoulder even if Courtney was the only to spill it, oh, and don't even get her started about the time she broke her compact mirror.

She came to accept this as well. She was factual, Duncan was a believer. They didn't argue about it; she knew that everyone was entitled to their own beliefs and that there was no use fighting over petty things such as someone else's opinions. It wasn't as though it affected her relationship with her in anyway so she figured it was best to leave what wasn't broken alone.

Duncan was, however, a very adamant believer in luck as well, and this was what he often shoved in Courtney's face- literally. "Princess, how are you even able to ignore this?!"

She pushed his hand away from her, muttering to him about personal space. "Duncan, it's a piece of grass, get over yourself!"

He scoffed, offended. "A piece of grass?!" He parroted, holding the petaled stem near her face _again. _"Dude, this is a fucking four leaf clover!"

"I'm exploding with happiness." She said apathetically, turning on her heel back toward the house. The fact that Duncan had screamed bloody murder at her to _get your ass out here right now before I die _did not seem justified by something so trivial.

He pulled her back, and this time she growled low in her throat. "Let go of me before I bite your hand off," she seethed, and he did let go, but he held his hands up defensively.

"Listen," he said lowly, looking at her intensely with his baby blues. "I'm trying to give this to you. It's good luck. If you don't take it, it's bad luck." He shoved it to her again. "So please just take it."

She made a face as though she smelled something grotesque. "Why the hell should I?"

He sneered. "Because it's bad luck! I just said that!"

"Are you supposed to be convincing me, or...?" With a deadpan look on her face, she watched as his face fell. "Duncan, I don't believe in good luck."

He looked at her again, and this time she sighed angrily. Why was he such an asshole? He knew just the angle to downturn his lips that would break her heart, how to make his lip twitch just a little and bring her to wits end. "Jesus," she muttered, grabbing the clover from him in frustration. "Satisfied?"

He smiled. "Yeah," but gasped in shock when she threw it on the ground and stomped on it. "WHAT THE HELL, COURTNEY?!"

She shrugged. "You never said I couldn't step on it." She smirked at him before going back in the house.

That night, she fell into bed, complaining of how her shower had gone cold two minutes in, her hair was fizzy, and the soap had fallen down the drain. Her phone went off beside her bed, and she picked it up with a huff. "Hello?" She said quietly. Her eyes went wide with shock as she immediately seethed and hung up the phone in anger. "And now it looks like I need to go job hunting again."

Duncan shook his head at her, wagging his finger in her direction. "Don't wanna say I told ya so, but-"

He quieted after a swift kick to the jewels, his voice strained as he laughed weakly, "But who am I kidding? No such thing as luck." As they settled into bed, he muttered, "Karma, on the other hand..."

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A/N: Continuing this story! Expect more to come soon!


	16. Peanut

**Title:** Heat (Collection 2)  
**Author:** Cereal-Killa  
**Rating:**K+  
**Pairing:** Duncan/Courtney  
**Summary of chapter:** Duncan forgets to tell Courtney something pretty important...

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#15. PEANUT

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Courtney tried to keep everything in perspective.

She had been a dumb teenager; she was able to keep her biting pride from snapping at that realization at this lovely age of thirty one. She hadn't known the world then, and she had always failed to embrace the bigger picture.

Because of this, Courtney had been prone to freak out about... well, rather miniscule things, at points. It was hard wired in her brain that, somehow, things needed to be _just so. _She had to known everything ahead of time, had to be aware of all her options and configurations so she could make a strategized, well-thought out plan for every little thing. Whether it be calculating just how much paint she would need to cover her walls or organizing her daily planner, Courtney had been diligent and evaluating.

Alas, she was over thirty now, and such protocol seemed a bit over the top for her now. She wasn't as eager as she used to be; she wasn't as controlling or snappish because age simply does that to you. It sucks out that potent attitude you had and mellows it out. For some people, this would be a negative step back, but Courtney mellowing out was only a pro- definitely a pro.

So she now saw the bigger picture with most things. She shouldn't yell at Duncan for forgetting to put another roll of toilet paper in the bathroom, no, it was a waste to berate him for something he didn't mean to do, and it was an effort that would most likely amount to not much of anything; Duncan would still forget the toilet paper, he would still not remember to put down the _goddamned _toilet seat and Courtney would just have to grin and bear it.

However, over thirty did not mean a loss of her fighting spirit. She still chewed Duncan out on a regular basis, but for things worth getting frustrated over.

Or so she believed.

"What on God's green Earth-" she started, rubbing her temples as she gave the hospital bed a blank stare, "-made you think it would be ok to not tell me this?"

It was five in the morning and Courtney had to be at work in three hours. Her hair was tied up in a loose bun, something she hadn't been able to do when she was younger. She'd taken the time to grow it out, not finding the time to keep it prim and short and perfect like it used to be. Duncan had said that he liked it, that they longer hair made her seem more delicate. It wasn't like he had stayed the same either. His green mohawk was long gone, shaggy black hair in its place. She had found a patch of grey deep in the nest of his head once when she dragged her fingers through the soft locks, but she didn't tell him, didn't want him to freak out like she knew he would.

However, there are some things couples need to tell each other.

"I didn't think it would ever come up, Princess..." Duncan coughed between harsh, labored breaths. His face was swollen, his eyes trying ridiculously hard to stay open.

"Duncan," she shook her head, tapping her fingers on his arm, "A peanut allergy is serious enough that you needed to tell me, oh, I don't know, the day I started cooking you dinner back when we first moved in together!?"

It wasn't like it had been Courtney's cooking that had done the trick. No, it had been Beth's, a woman from Courtney's office building. They'd had a Christmas cookie exchange earlier that week, and Courtney had been eager to get her hands on Beth's peanut butter snaps. She'd taken them home, and didn't even bat an eye when Duncan took a cookie off of her plate after shedding his tie from work; she was too engrossed in the new book she had just bought to put in the effort.

She did look up, however, when Duncan made a panicked noise after the first bite. "Ah- um... what type of cookies are these?" He squeaked.

Courtney raised a brow in confusion and suspicion. "...Peanut butter crunch. A girl at work gave them to me."

"Ah," Duncan had said, walking into the bathroom and leaving Courtney alone to marinate in her puzzlement. He'd come out a few minutes later, dressed casually, playing a game of Subway Surfers on his phone before glancing up at her. "You doing anything tonight, babe?"

She shrugged. "Nah, I was just gonna pay a few bills and watch some TV."

"Alright," he said, and all of a sudden, he fell to the floor, body going limp, "Because I'm gonna need a doctor."

"I'm sorry, sunshine," he said now, looking up at her through tired blue eyes, his swollen lips smacking together as he spoke. "I just didn't think about it, I'm sorry..."

She gave him a hard stare before sighing, sliding her fingers toward his face and cupping the swollen skin of his cheek. She could choose to get angry about this; five years ago, she probably would have. But now, just seeing Duncan in front of her, not perfectly healthy at the moment, but alive... it was enough. In spite of the small things, the big picture was doing okay. "Duncan, I know we've been together for more than fifteen years, but you do realize I'm not willing to lose you yet, right? You're not allowed to die on me, you bastard." The threat was lost in her voice, a near whisper now as Duncan tipped his head to nuzzle her hand.

"Roger that." He said, pained but with a smirk, somehow always managing one even in situations like this.

Courtney's mouth twitched to keep her fond grin held back. "Good. Now go to sleep, Duncan, I'll stay here." He looked up at her, but she shrugged. "I can miss a day of work."

He visibly softened, his whole body going lax with the relief that came with her words. His eyes slowly slipped closed, taking the time to mutter, "Love you, Courtney" before falling under the pull of slumber. He wasn't sure if it was real or if he simply dreamt that she said it back.


End file.
